Holly Taylor began her teaching career in Ohio in 1979 in choral and elementary music, moving to Wichita with her family in 1989, where she continued teaching elementary music in Friends Elementary School and Emerson Open Magnet Elementary School. In Wichita Public Schools today she is the Vocal and Elementary Music Curriculum Coach, the Adjunct Professor at Friends University for Elementary Music Methods and is Supervisor of Student Field Experience.

Holly has served her profession as the first KMEA All-State Elementary Choir Chair and Co-Chair of the KMEA Mentor Program for beginning and young teachers in the state. She has also served as the KMEA Elementary Chair, responsible for keeping three full days of activities and concerts moving forward during the ISW in the elementary room. In 2005 she worked on the state Vocal Music Standards. In 2012 Holly was selected as the SC District Elementary Teacher of the Year. Holly has also conducted many district and state honor choirs throughout Kansas and the region.

Holly Taylor looks on as KMEA President Martha Gabel reads the citation honoring her as an inductee into the KMEA Hall of Fame at the 2016 In-Service Workshop.

Photo by Troy Johnson

Holly has a passion for both elementary music and mentoring young teachers in the profession. Second year teacher Ashley Norman says, "It is obvious to me that one of her goals is to stick beside and guide young or new teachers to not only keep them in the profession, but to see that they can enjoy what they do while producing excellence and creativity in their students." The President of Kodály Music Educators of KS Lauren Hirsh says, "Holly creates a community to lift up, where there is always the theme of what's best for kids? and how do we cause that to happen?" Craig Manteuffel, KSHSAA Assistant Director of Fine Arts, says "During the 2013 Snowmageddon, many clinicians opted to cancel their sessions, but not in the elementary room! Holly began asking some of her very own teachers to present sessions on their personal strengths, with Holly filling in a couple of clinics herself. After the closing session on Saturday, a veteran elementary teacher told me it was the best elementary in-service he had attended in years."